Sawdust burning pot for smoke generators



March 10, 1959 M. J. G. TIPPER 2,876,762

SAWDUST BURNING POT FOR SMOKE GENERATORS Original Filed Oct. 24, 1949 ZSheets-Sheet 1 awe/Mm flflaynard J G. Tipper ATTO R N EYS March 1959 I M. J. G. TIPPER 2,876,762

SAWDUST BURNING POT FOR SMOKE GENERATORS Original Filed Oct. 24, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO H N EYS United States Patent SAWDUST BURNING POT FOR SMOKE GENERATORS Maynard J. G. Tipper, Castro Valley, Calif., assignor t0 Meat Packers Equipment Company, Oakland, Calif a corporation of California Continuation of application Serial No. 123,287, October 24, 1949. This application May 21, 1956, Serial N0. 586,310

1 Claim. (Cl. 126-59.5)

associated parts of the apparatus that a very even and eflicient combustion of the sawdust is effected; the exterior walls of the pot are-maintained relatively cool so as to practically eliminate warping of the pot from overheating as well as reducing the fire hazard; the generated smoke as it is drawn ofi for use is in a cool condition even before it is filtered and subjected to a final cooling action; and the pot may be easily and quickly removed from the apparatus for replacement or repair.

Operating and upkeep costs are, therefore, held to a minimum, while efliciency of results is very high.

A further object of the invention is to produce a practical device and one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings.

Figure 1 is a side outline of a smoke generator emphasizing my improved burning pot.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the burning pot, showing its association with adjacent and cooperating parts.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the smoke generator, as a whole, comprises generally an upstanding cylindrical shell 1 held up from the floor by legs 2 and having a central opening 3 in its bottom plate 1a for clean-out and airentry purposes.

The burning pot B, described in more detail later, is disposed in the shell at the bottom and receives the sawdust S to be burned from a funnel-shaped supply hopper 4 depending into the pot centrally thereof and removably supported from and forming a closure with the rim of the shell.

An agitator shaft 5 extends through the hopper and is driven from its upper end by a motor 6 mounted on a cross plate 7 on top of the shell and which is removably secured in place by bolts 8. The motor 6 also drives a fan 9 which feeds a forceful flow of air to the burning pot through a pipe 10, in the manner disclosed later. The smoke, as generated by the burning sawdust, is drawn through an outlet 11 in one side of the shell and is forced by a suction fan and blower 12 through a filtering device 13 and thence through a fiue 14 to the Smokehouse for use.

The burning pot B, the construction of which constitutes a feature of the invention, is made of heavy boiler plate, and comprises a circular base plate 15 having an upstanding cylindrical outer wall 16 which extends somewhat 2,876,762 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 above the lower end of hopper 4 and is of smaller diameter than the shell 1 so as to leave an air space therebetween.

The pot is held up from the bottom plate 1a of the shell and centered therein by depending shouldered feet 17 removably seating, up to the shoulders, in properly located holes 18 in plate In.

Base plate 15 has a central clean-out opening 19, normally closed by a sliding door 20 which is operated by a removably attached handle rod 21 projecting through shell 1 on one side.

A relatively short distance above base plate 15, a flange 22 extends radially in from and all around wall 16. A vertical band 23 extends between flange 22 and plate 15 at a point radially out from the inner periphery of flange 22 for some distance and spaced from wall 16 to form the inner wall of a continuous annular air chamber 24. Band 23 is provided with a row of somewhat closely spaced air holes 25 therethrough.

Air under forced feed is supplied to chamber 24 from pipe 10 by means of a nipple 26 projectingthrough the shell 1 from the lower end of said pipe and removably secured in a fitting 27 secured on the outside of wall 16 in line with chamber 24.

The lower end of agitator shaft 5 is removably supported by the burning pot on a thrust bearing 28 mounted on a cross bar 29 which is fixed on base plate 15 over opening 19. The agitator shaft, besides the hopper agitator 30, also carries a radial rod 31 to sweep through the sawdust a short distance above flange 22 and a vertically adjustable sawdust feed-control disc 32 just below the mouth 33 of the hopper 4, so that the sawdust will be maintained in the burning pot at a level slightly above said mouth as indicated by line L.

Due to the construction and arrangement above described, the initially damp sawdust will be automatically maintained at level L by gravity feed from the hopper as the sawdust below is consumed, so that the hopper mouth is always closed against an upward flow of smoke through the hopper.

By reason of the annular force feed air chamber 24, air to promote even, efficient, and complete combustion of the sawdust is blown through the mass of sawdust evenly all about the pot; the constantly rotating radial agitator 31 being effective to continuously sweep through the damp sawdust and tending to maintain an unbroken layer of the same from side to side of the pot, adjacent the flange 22, and across the opening circumscribed by the inner edge of said flange. This prevents the formation of burned-out sawdust pockets in the mass, and further assures even combustion of the sawdust.

Due to the sawdust-supporting flange 22, which overhangs the inner perforated band 23 of the air chamber, the sawdust adjacent the outer wall 16 of the pot is not directly subjected to the air blast, and hence such sawdust remains cooler and is slower burning, preventing the wall 16, as well as flange 22, from becoming overheated and possibly warped.

The pot being supported clear of the bottom, as well as of the sides of the shell, cool air pulled through openiug 3 by the action of fan 12 will pass under and then up the sides of the pot, thus keeping the exterior of the pot cooler and providing a heat insulation between the pot and the shell, reducing the fire hazard. This air, of course, mingles with the smoke generated by the burning sawdust, cooling such smoke as is desirable.

When it is necessary to remove the pot for replacement or repair, it is only necessary to remove bolts 8 and disconnect pipe 10 at the union 34. This allows the plate 7, together with the motor and fan, as well as the hopper and agitator unit, to be pulled out.

1 Nipple. 26 is, uncoupled. from the burning-pot; and r'od 21 disconnected from, door 20- ,these operations being all performed from exteriorly of the shell. The burning pot may then be lifted straight up from the new unobstruetednshell; handles 235 -;-being pr videdufon rope hook engagement, onropposite sides of -wa1l=1 6aat the top.

Replacement or repair of the pot-the only part sub, ject to deterioration by heat-is,itherefore,,a quicksand inexpensive-operation;

From the foregoing description it willwbereadily. seen that there has been produced sucha deviceas substantially fulfills the-objectsof the invention asset forth herein;

While :this specification; sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction-of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted; to-as dognot. form a, departure from thespirit of the; invention, as defined by ;the appended claim;

Having thusdescribed the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful and;upontwhich'LettersPatent isdesired:

A" sawdust burning; smoke generator comprising an outer shell consisting of a: top,;=b otto rn and sides and .provided with an opening in the bottom thereof and; an outlet for the dischargeof productsin combustion, a sawdust burningpot disposed within the shell, such, pot com prising a base plate disposed ata point above the opening in the bottom of the shell, a wall upstanding; from the base plate all about the outer edge of ;the.latt er: andiin spaced relation'with respect tot-the wallof thWL hQHl side wallmt the pot b'eing of a rnateriallylesser height than the sidewall of the shell whereby the pot opens at its upper end into the space within the shell and forms a receptacle for the reception of sawdust, a flange projecting inwardly from the side of the pot all about the same at a point adjacentthey bottom of the pot and at a distance below the top edge of the pot which is relatively greaterrthan its xdis'tance laboveeth'e bottom of the pot whereby sawdustied into-the pot will lie above the flange, and between the .wall of .the pot above the flange, means to vf eedjsawdustiinto the, pot to a level above the flange and between the wallet the-pot above the flange, the flange being relatively narrowradially to form an opening torrthejpassage of ash'esfrom above theflange ontothebaseplate, meansfor the removal. of-ashes from the base plate, and means to induce a current of air into the spacesbetween the, flange and base plate and upwardly into the receptacle all about the inner edge of thetflange-r;

keterencesrfl sdiinsthefileoft isnatent.

UNITED STATES" PATENTS 

